


a taxing situation (but will we survive it?)

by poisonluthor



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Crack, Established Relationship, F/F, I'm saying au but she actually is a tax evader so this is basically canon, Tax evasion au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-27
Updated: 2021-02-20
Packaged: 2021-03-09 03:21:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 12,811
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27217846
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/poisonluthor/pseuds/poisonluthor
Summary: Kara Danvers is a tax evader.  Lena Luthor is a law abiding citizen who adores filing her taxes. If she found out about Kara's transgressions, would their relationship survive?
Relationships: Kara Danvers/Lena Luthor, Samantha "Sam" Arias/Andrea Rojas
Comments: 78
Kudos: 384





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Thought we'd get this rolling since it's been 5 years of SG. It's about time someone exposes Kara Danvers.

It was April 3rd, 2020 — Less than a month away from this year’s income tax filing deadline. But even with all that time left to prepare, Lena felt the annual pressure mounting against her. 

Stacks of papers were already covering every inch of her cherrywood desk. It was like this every year, but it somehow felt worse this time around. She tried organizing everything by category — tossing her employment income slips to the left-hand side, the dividend income slips near the middle and the rental income slips off to the right-hand side, if only to feel like she was advancing in her work.

In reality, Lena was just delaying her responsibilities. She knew the declarations would take longer to fill out this year thanks to all the recent investments she made at the tail end of 2019. The stack of papers remaining on her swivel chair, waiting to be organized, was proof enough that she still had a long way to go. Letting out a heavy sigh, Lena moved onto the next remuneration slip, reading it quickly before dropping it on top of the correct pile. 

She got through five more slips before her task was interrupted by the opening chimes of her ringtone. She reached for her backpocket on instinct, but her hand simply brushed against her slacks — her phone wasn’t there.

“Shit,” Lena mumbled, realizing she must’ve buried her phone under the papers on her desk. She quickly pushed some papers to the side as the ringing got louder and louder, coming to a stop on the fourth ring when she picked up the call. “Hello?” she answered, too distracted to take a look at the caller ID. 

“Lena, hi. I hope you’re not busy, but I had a question for you.”

“Andrea,” Lena whispered to herself as she confirmed who the caller was. Hugging the phone closer to her ear, Lena began moving her displaced papers back in order. “I was actually thinking about calling you.”

“Really?” Andrea asked. “How come?” 

“I’m organizing my tax papers and I was wondering how on earth you do yours because I know you make more investments than me, but I’m already swamped with this paperwork,” she rushed out, sounding more panicked than she anticipated. She took a quick breath before adding, “How do you normally file your taxes?”

“Simple answer, really. I don’t.”

“You don’t?” Lena repeated, stilling her movements. She knew wealthy business moguls had a reputation for evading taxes, but she never thought Andrea would be one of them. 

“No, of course not,” Andrea said. “I’m not going to waste my time with that. I get some intern to do them for me.” 

“Oh,” Lena breathed out, relief flowing through her body. 

“The question is why are you doing yours?” Andrea asked. Lena could almost picture the brunette’s unimpressed face just by hearing her voice. “I know you’re above giving it to an unpaid intern, but just pay someone to do them for you. You’re rich, Lena. I think you could afford spending a couple thousand dollars on this.”

“Money isn’t the issue,” Lena started. She knew she wasn’t going to get through to Andrea, but she tried to explain anyway. “I’ve been doing them for years, even before the Luthor inheritance kicked in. It’s not difficult and I figured if I know how to do them, then why would I give it to someone else to prepare?” Lena asked. She tapped the edges of the piles on her desk, making sure all the papers were neatly assembled.

“Because it’s boring,” Andrea answered. “Just like this conversation. It’s already giving me a headache.”

“You say that about all our conversations,” Lena said, rolling her eyes. 

“Well, I can’t help it if that’s the truth.”

“Andrea, what was the question?” Lena asked, wanting to end this call as soon as possible. She forgot how intolerable Andrea was over the phone. 

“The what now?”

“The question,” Lena repeated. She lifted her hands away from the papers on her desk and took her phone off her shoulder, holding it in her right hand now. “You said you called me because you had a question.”

“Right. I forgot I was the one who called you,” Andrea mumbled. Her brazen attitude now began to shift into one that almost sounded apprehensive. “Well, you see, I had some free time on this fine Saturday night and I decided to take a quick look at your Instagram. So I was scrolling through your page when I noticed you post a lot of cute pictures with that CFO of yours…”

“No,” Lena said while shaking her head. 

“Why not? You’re dating Kara. I don’t see why you get to keep all the pretty women to yourself.” 

“Because she’s a good person and you’re going to break her heart,” Lena answered. 

“I think you’re being a _bit_ dramatic,” Andrea huffed out.

“Sam is one of my best friends, and you, well…”

“I’m charming and she’ll immediately fall in love with me?” Andrea cut in. 

“I was going to say you’re an acquired taste,” Lena answered, hardly hiding her slight scoff at Andrea’s insinuation. 

“Whatever, I’ll take it. But look, all I’m asking for is her number. If she rejects me, then that’s that and I’ll accept it. If she doesn’t, then you can warn her all about my poor manners. Let me at least take a shot,” Andrea said. 

Lena shook her head, already knowing this was a recipe for disaster. Still, she thought over Andrea’s words as she turned her head to the side, looking back at the last remuneration slip she placed on her desk. It was the dividend income she was receiving from her ownership in Catco, that is, before she sold the company to Andrea. 

“I might have a proposition for you,” Lena said, now lifting up the slip to take a closer look at it.

“Which is?” 

“Do your taxes with me, and I’ll give you Sam’s number,” Lena said. 

“You’re shitting me,” Andrea deadpanned. 

“I’m really not. You should give it a try since you never do them yourself. Plus, I think it would be fun if we do it together. It’ll definitely boost morale,” Lena said. 

“No, I know you’re shitting me. There’s no way you're making me do my own taxes just to get some girl’s number.”

“So now she’s just some girl, huh,” Lena said, her lips now curling at the corners. She already knew she got Andrea on the hook. Now she just had to reel the line in. “If you don’t want her number that badly, then I understand.”

“Don’t.”

“I mean, she _is_ the CFO of my company,” Lena continued. “She does her own taxes too, but she doesn’t have nearly as much to fill out as we do. I’m sure she’d be impressed if you told her that you did yours all by yourself.”

“You’re so fucking annoying,” Andrea mumbled. 

“Is that a deal?” 

The line was silent for a few seconds before a long sigh sounded through the receiver. 

“I’ll come by your place tomorrow, but I have to pass by Obsidian first to grab my papers from that intern’s desk,” Andrea said. 

“Great, so I’ll see you tomorrow then. Get a good night’s rest. You’ll need that energy fo—”

Lena stopped speaking once she heard the phone line cut off. She shook her head, but smiled to herself at the idea of their little arrangement. It was almost too convenient that Lena got Andrea to agree to a deal that had no real downside associated with it. 

In the past, Sam had made a few passing comments about Andrea that certainly caught Lena’s attention. The two women never formally met, but Sam still gave the girl select compliments that went beyond appreciating someone for their achievements in life.

As much as Lena wanted to protect Sam from the wildfire that was Andrea Rojas, at the same time she knew that Sam had a secret crush on the Argentinian and the girl would be thrilled to receive a phone call from her. So, she played a little hardball with the CEO, but it landed her a tax partner for tomorrow while still making her best friend happy. Overall, it was the perfect win-win situation. 

“Are you off the phone?” a voice called out from behind Lena. 

Lena recognized the voice immediately as she turned around and spotted Kara’s head, peeking out from behind the door. 

“Oh, I didn’t know you were here! Yes, hi, come in,” Lena said, waving her arm back and forth. Even though she had given her girlfriend a key to her place, she was still always pleasantly surprised when Kara passed by unannounced. She waited till Kara stepped further inside the room before continuing. “I was just on the phone with Andrea. She wanted me to give her Sam’s number.” 

“And did you?” Kara asked, coming closer with a sealed white bag clutched in her hand.

“Not yet. I thought I’d get a little something out of it, so we made a deal. If she does her taxes with me tomorrow, then I’d pass her the number.” 

“Taxes?” Kara said, repeating the word with a puzzled look on her face. 

“Yeah, I know they’re only due at the end of the month, but I figured I should get them out of the way now,” Lena said. Her eyes wandered over to the bag in Kara’s hands. “What do you have there?”

“Oh okay,” Kara mumbled, still with that scrunched up look on her face. She held that look for a moment before shaking her head and turning her attention towards the bag in her hands. “It’s just some donuts.”

“For me?” Lena asked, batting her eyelashes dramatically. 

“Always for you,” Kara said with a smile. She held out the bag and watched quietly as Lena grabbed a powdered donut, bringing it up to her lips and taking one big bite. “How is it?” Kara asked.

“Delicious,” Lena said, smiling with some raspberry filling staining the corner of her lips.

Kara chuckled to herself as she neared Lena and wiped the stain away with her thumb.

“Thank you, love,” Lena whispered, her cheeks turning red at the sheer domesticity of it. 

Kara smiled contentedly before reaching into the bag to grab a donut for herself. She held it up to her lips, but before she could take a bite, she lowered it once more as a thought came to mind.

“So, these _taxes_ …” Kara started, stalling on the word almost like it was foreign. “You’re doing them here?”

“Yeah, but I have so many papers that it might be best if we use my kitchen counter,” Lena said. She took another bite from her donut.

“Can I uh…Can I be here while you...do them?” Kara asked, quietly. 

“Yeah, if you want,” Lena said, her mouth now full. She chewed on the dough, breaking it down to smaller bits before swallowing it and continuing. “It’s obviously going to take us much longer than it takes you to complete yours, so if you don’t want to stay the whole time I completely understand.”

“My...taxes…right...” Kara said with a nervous chuckle. 

She looked down at her donut and took one large bite, busying up her mouth, if only to stop herself from asking: what the fuck are taxes?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is mostly set up :) the real fun comes later  
> @luthorsrojas on twitter


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Andrea and Lena do their taxes while Kara is just...there.

“1.3 billion,” Andrea mumbled. She set the paper in her hands down onto the table in front of her. “I can’t believe I gave you 1.3 billion when you paid 750 million to buy Catco.”

Lena smirked, looking over the rim of her computer screen so she could get a better view of Andrea. “What can I say? I ran the company better than Cat, so it was worth more. I don’t see why you’re complaining though, I thought you were happy with the deal?” 

“I’m happy about getting the company, but you still drove a hard bargain. I paid above fair market value for it,” Andrea explained.

“Yes, well. I’m still getting taxed at 50% for that gain, so who really lost here?”

Andrea let out a wince. “Capital Gains. Don’t even remind me.”

A quick chuckle was as much as the comment warranted, so it was all Lena gave, laughing along melodically, providing some form of approval for Andrea’s disgust of capital gains. But what neither girl expected was Kara laughing along with them. 

Both CEO’s noticed immediately, except Kara’s reaction was completely different compared to Lena’s. It was delayed, loud and overall a little too suspicious for Andrea’s liking. That nervous laugh alone might’ve been a typical awkward Kara moment, but since she’d been making weird comments for the last four hours, something about her laughter finally set Andrea off.

“Interesting,” Andrea mumbled, now diverting her attention away from her tax papers so she could get a better look at Kara. The brunette sized up the blonde like a hawk would its prey as she leaned forward in her chair. “Very interesting.”

There was something about the way she said the word which made Kara’s skin crawl all over. It didn’t help that Andrea’s posture made her look like she was about to go in for the kill. But to be fair, she always looked like she’d squash anyone who stood in the way of a good story.

And right now, with Kara hiding the next big exclusive, it wasn’t grand to be on the receiving end of Andrea Rojas’ scrutiny.

“It was— I just—” Kara rambled as her laughter started to subside. “I saw something funny on my phone.”

“Oh, I’m sure,” Andrea said. She turned away from Kara and widened her eyes at Lena, hoping her friend noticed Kara’s questionable behaviour.

If Andrea was expecting support, she wasn’t going to get it from Lena. Instead, Lena ignored her friend’s reaction with a simple eye roll. She knew that Andrea found it amusing to see Kara struggling with their in-depth conversation on taxes, but Lena didn’t feel the same way. Even though Kara had been acting off, her change in behaviour didn’t faze Lena.

Lena was a good girlfriend and she always took pride in the fact that she could read her significant other’s emotions with ease. At this very moment, she perfectly understood why Kara was acting weird. It was obvious that Kara felt like she didn’t have anything to contribute to their conversation. The poor girl was just trying to fit in even though it was impossible for her to understand Lena or Andrea’s struggles with lengthy tax filings. Lena doubted that Kara ever encountered a capital gain, so she understood that Kara’s laughter was her trying to overcompensate for the fact that she didn’t know anything about the subject matter.

Kara would give her input here and there, but most of the time she sat quietly, staring down at her phone. Her most recent excuse was perfectly plausible had Lena not seen Kara actively listening to their ongoing conversation about CatCo. 

“It was a video of someone dancing and then falling into a pool, I’ll just— I’ll airdrop it to you guys later,” Kara said, waving her hand in the air dismissively. She didn’t wait for anyone to respond before she buried her face back into her phone.

That excuse might've been enough for Lena who didn’t want to press Kara any further on a matter that would only embarrass her girlfriend, but Andrea had no stakes in Kara’s feelings, and she wasn’t going to let the girl get off the hook so easily. 

“That’s lovely, Kara,” she started, looking as disinterested as ever. “But now that you’re speaking, I did have a question for you.” Her eyes darted between Lena and Kara before continuing with her next words. “Did you finish preparing your tax return?” 

Kara raised her head, now looking like a deer in the headlights. 

“I—uh. I finished the tax stuff a week ago?”

“Is that a question or an answer?” Andrea asked, narrowing her eyes at the blonde. 

“Answer,” Kara quickly added. “I was getting a bit confused with the dates, but yes! Taxes! A week ago!” 

Lena smiled at her girlfriend, proud that she was on top of her responsibilities. It also made her feel good to know that she was dating someone who continuously cared about abiding by the law. At the same time, part of Lena wanted to hear about Kara’s tax return, so she didn’t stop Andrea from her line of questioning. Instead, she looked away from the duo and focused once more on inputting her figures and finalizing her return.

“I see,” Andrea mumbled. She reached over to grab another piece of paper, toying with the edges while still giving Kara a hard look. “Payment or refund due?” 

“I’m sorry?” 

“It’s a simple question,” Andrea continued. She lifted an eyebrow and pressed on. “Payment or refund due?”

“It’s—uh. Well, It’s—You know, taxes,” Kara fumbled with her words.

“Yes, I do know taxes. So which one is it?”

“I’m thinking—If I remember correctly—It’s been a while since I looked at the taxes, but if I had to say, mayb—”

“That’s a lot of hesitation for someone who did her taxes last week,” Andrea noted. 

There was something about her tone that got on Lena’s nerves. Andrea had this way of talking to people like she was above them, and every word she said was laced with that patronizing attitude. Lena wouldn’t be surprised if it’s what made Kara so tongue-tied. 

“Andrea, stop pestering her,” Lena interrupted while continuing to keep her eyes glued to her computer as she tapped away on her keyboard. Even if she selfishly wanted to hear about Kara’s tax return, she wouldn’t let her girlfriend be subjected to Andrea’s rough grilling. “If she doesn’t want to tell you then that’s her choice. She doesn’t have to answer your questions.”

“She’s hearing about how much I made this year,” Andrea argued. “I’m hardly asking her anything confidential compared to that.”

That slight explanation quickly reached Kara’s ears and immediately brought her to her feet. 

“If you don’t want me here, then I can just—” 

“Of course, we want you here,” Lena said, now lifting her head as she stuck her arm out to stop Kara from bolting away. “Don’t we, Andrea?” Lena said, quickly turning to face Andrea whilst raising her eyebrow. 

“We _love_ you here,” Andrea said with a curt smile.

Kara looked back and forth between the two women, assessing their expressions. Lena had worried lines scrawled across her forehead, looking as if she was physically pained by the idea of Kara leaving. Andrea, on the other hand, stared back at Kara with a knowing smirk across her face. She looked as if she was planning to ruin Kara’s life, and for all Kara knew, she just might be.

“Let’s talk about something else,” Lena suggested, hoping that her idea might lower the tension in the room. She gave Kara a reassuring smile that finally got the blonde to sit back down in her chair.

“By all means,” Andrea said before turning her swivel chair around so she could face the large bay windows. She put her finger on her chin and thought pensively. “What about Supergirl?” 

“What about her?” Lena asked, her eyes shooting to Kara reflexively. 

“Do you think she pays her taxes?” Andrea asked.

“Definitely,” Lena said, answering on Kara’s behalf without any hesitation.

Andrea turned her chair back around, stopping it only when it was perfectly facing Lena’s direction. “What makes you so sure?” 

“You don’t really think Supergirl would break the law?” Lena answered, shocked that Andrea would even ask such a question.

“She has in the past.”

“Allegedly,” Lena said. 

“Allegedly because who would take Supergirl to court?” Andrea wondered aloud. She completely disregarded her own tax return as she continued arguing her new hypothesis. “I’m nearly certain she doesn’t pay her taxes either.”

Lena didn’t catch onto the _either_ that slipped out of Andrea’s mouth, but Kara had surely heard it and the word made her sink just a bit further into her chair.

“Yes, well, you’re more pessimistic than I am,” Lena said. 

“I’m more realistic,” Andrea argued. She turned her chair more to the side, now having it at an angle where she could grill Lena and Kara both. “Does she even get paid for helping us? And if she doesn’t, then how does she pay for her basic commodities?”

“Don’t be so obtuse. She obviously has a secret identity where she makes money on the side,” Lena said. Her eyes glanced in Kara’s direction, hoping she didn’t say too much. When she saw a small thumb lift up, she felt relief wash over her body. Still, she couldn’t quite understand why Kara was speechless, not even trying to defend herself. 

“Supergirl working on the side,” Andrea said with a laugh. “God, I’d love to see that.” She smiled to herself as she mentally pictured Supergirl performing mundane tasks. Andrea held that look for a few seconds before shaking her head. “Regardless, it doesn’t change anything. Brings up more questions in fact.” 

“Like what?” Kara asked, finally joining the conversation. 

“Does working as Supergirl technically count as a side business?” Andrea asked. “Maybe it’s like a non-profit since she’s saving the world for free. Or maybe it’s more of a charity, but then I guess that would make her income tax-exempt. There’s a lot to consider here.”

“You know, you ask a lot of questions for someone who never files her own taxes,” Lena said. “I thought you said all of this was boring.”

“Sweetie, following the rules is boring. But Supergirl evading taxes? Now that would be a front page story Catco viewers would love to read,” Andrea explained. There was a sharp glint in her eyes, a look she only ever got when she felt like she was nearing a big breakthrough. “Kara, maybe I should get you to write that article for me.” She raised her eyebrows knowingly. “I’m sure you, of all people, would love to research about _the taxes_.” 

That comment didn’t go unnoticed by Lena. Her eyes flashed between Andrea and Kara as they held a staring contest with one another. It looked like they were both trying to test the other to see how much they knew about the apparent elephant in the room. 

Lena bit on the bottom of her lip as she went deep in thought herself. She didn’t know how Andrea could’ve possibly solved it. They had always been so careful. They never slipped up in their act. There should have been no reason for Andrea to suspect that Kara was Supergirl.

Still, if Andrea pieced it together, Lena would do everything in her power to deny it as long as Kara wanted her identity to remain a secret.

“It just sounds like you’re coming up with any old story so you could focus your attention elsewhere and avoid finishing your taxes with me,” Lena said, hoping that would garner Andrea’s attention.

“You still have a lot left on your desk,” Kara said, her eyes moving past Andrea to the stack of papers laid out on the table. 

Andrea didn’t move a muscle, keeping her eyes steady on Kara’s every movement. She blinked at the girl a few times before slowly nodding her head.

“You’re absolutely right, Kara. I have _so_ much work left on my desk. Do you think you could be a saint and help me input some numbers into the computer?”

Kara opened and closed her mouth, trying to find the right words to refuse. “Well, Lena’s the expert, really.” 

“I was just going to ask you to do my basic remuneration slip from Catco,” Andrea said with a smile. “It’ll be exactly like the one you did for _your_ taxes, just more zeros on the end of my numbers.”

Once again, Lena watched as the two girls passive-aggressively bickered right in front of her. She couldn’t understand why Andrea continued in this line of fire. It felt like she didn’t care about Kara’s feelings or wishes and she simply wanted to watch the girl crumble under the pressure.

“No. It’s okay, really. It’s fine,” Kara mumbled. 

“I insist.”

“Andrea, stop,” Lena called out. “She’s not going to do your taxes. We had a deal so stop trying to pass your work off to other people.”

“That’s not what I’m trying to do,” Andrea argued, lifting her hands up in the air with frustration. She felt another Lena-induced headache coming on. If her friend just stopped talking for one second, then maybe Andrea could get Kara to admit to the crime that was so blatant to anyone other than Lena. “Has anyone ever told you that you’re obnoxiously protective when you’re in love.” 

“Am I?”

“Yes, it’s disgusting.” 

“You’re only saying that because you’ve never been in love,” Lena chuckled. 

“Well, maybe I will be if you give me Sam’s number,” Andrea said, falling into Lena’s plan of diverting the conversation away from the topic at hand. 

“Finish that pile first,” Lena said, pointing to the last remaining stack on the table. “I basically finished my whole return while you’re still putting in your slip amounts.”

“I don’t know how you did yours so fast. This is all so b—“

“Boring? Yes, I know. You remind me every 5 minutes.” 

“Uh, sorry to interrupt, but I have to get going,” Kara abruptly cut in. Her finger was resting just below her ear, making Lena realize that she was probably being called on duty. 

“All good,” Lena said with a smile. She rose from her chair and gave Kara a quick kiss on the lips. “Thank you for keeping me company,” she whispered. 

“Anytime,” Kara replied with mirrored enthusiasm. She turned to smile at Andrea, looking like she was going to say something to her before ultimately deciding against it. “I’ll see you later?” she said once she turned to look back at Lena. 

“Of course,” Lena whispered. 

She watched as Kara slowly nodded before giving one final sweet wave. Kara then turned the corner and walked out of the room, shutting the door behind her and undoubtedly flying away to some crime scene.

“Disgusting,” Andrea mumbled from behind her.

Lena rolled her eyes. “What is? A kiss?” she asked as she returned to her seat.

“No, you being blinded by love.” 

“I'm not blinded by love?”

Andrea’s shoulders immediately dropped. She couldn’t believe that Lena was _this_ oblivious. Taking a deep breath, Andrea interlocked her fingers together, trying her best to occupy them just so she wouldn’t run her fingers through her hair in frustration.

“If you weren’t, then maybe you would realize the truth about Kara.” 

_Here it comes_ , Lena thought, bracing herself for Andrea’s realization that Kara is actually Supergirl.

“I’m afraid that Kara Danvers is...” Andrea started before letting out a heavy breath. She knew the words would be hard to say, but Lena needed to hear them. “...a tax evader. She doesn’t pay her taxes.”

“K—” Lena immediately started before cutting herself short. That was _not_ the sentence she expected to hear, and quite frankly, she needed a moment. 

In fact, she needed several moments to process the words that just flew out of Andrea’s mouth.

“She— no.”

Lena didn’t want to believe it. It couldn’t possibly be true. 

“No, no no no.”

Yet, Andrea’s words hung in the air, corrupting every tax-based conversation Lena had ever had with Kara. For some reason, she never noticed it before. But now that she thought about it, Kara _did_ always seem a bit lost when they spoke about taxes.

Still, Lena couldn’t bring herself to fully believe it. 

“That’s ridiculous. Of course she pays her taxes,” Lena argued, putting up one last line of defense, hoping all preconceived thoughts of her relationship would remain intact. 

But Andrea would hear none of it. She simply shook her head, not even bothering to add anything more to the conversation at hand. 

She didn’t need to lay out the facts. With that one simple statement, Lena was smart enough to piece it together. She was smart enough to realize what she subconsciously knew and chose to ignore. 

Lena wished there was a perfectly good explanation for why Andrea thought Kara didn’t pay her taxes. 

In the end, there was only one logical reason.

As much as it pained Lena to admit it, it was time to accept the truth that had been in front of her the entire time:

Kara Danvers didn’t pay her taxes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> btw I want to thank @karazreis for randomly tweeting that Kara is a tax evader, thus inspiring this whole thing.  
> 


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lena is distraught once she learns the truth about Kara, so she seeks a friend for some advice.

Lena was practically kicking her foot against the brick wall, passing the time as she waited for the front door to swing open. She rang the doorbell at least three minutes ago, and still, there was no answer. Part of her was thinking about kicking the door down if no one came in the next few minutes, though Lena recognized that was a bit dramatic, even for her. 

She wasn’t even sure if her friend was home, but after the long day she had, there was no one else she would rather see. If it came down to it, Lena would probably sit on the steps waiting for her friend’s return, as long as it meant that she didn’t have to go back home. More specifically, as long as it meant she could spend more time hiding away from Kara.

“Hi, sorry, I was—” Sam started, opening up the door, slightly out of breath. 

“Sam! Thank god you’re home. I needed to—” Lena cut herself short as a familiar face sitting up on Sam’s sofa caught her attention. “Andrea?”

“Lena,” Andrea called out with a steady tone, her eyes rolling to the back of her head as she fixed the sleeve of her shirt, now covering up her exposed arms. 

“I—” Lena started, looking between Andrea and Sam, trying to piece together what was happening. “Am I interrupting something?” 

“No.”

“Yes.”

“No, you’re not,” Sam insisted. Her eyes flashed to Andrea with a look that said _don’t you start_ before she turned to look back at Lena, her eyes now softening around the corners. “Come in. You look terrible.” 

Lena let out a heavy sigh, but followed Sam’s directives as she stepped inside the house. Usually, whenever she was feeling down, Lena would come over to Sam’s house to rant about her day and then stuff her face with some brownies that Sam would make while Lena complained about life's misfortune.

Likewise, Sam would call Lena whenever she had a problem of her own. In those cases, Lena would arrive holding a box filled with chocolates, stuffed to the brim with Sam’s favorite flavors. 

No matter how big or small the problems were, the two girls would always rely on each other whenever they needed a good vent. It’s how things had always been, that is, before Andrea decided on interrupting the perfect picture.

The Argentinian was now sprawled across the sofa, still buttoning up her blouse, and giving Lena a bit of a death glare.

“You’re something else,” Lena said, pushing Andrea’s legs down to the floor, effectively freeing up some space so she could take a seat.

Andrea let out a huff. “Darling, I’m not the third wheel here.”

Lena scoffed. “You have a hickey on your neck,” she mumbled, ignoring the remark with a comment of her own. She barely looked in Andrea’s direction as she took her seat and immediately buried her face in her hands, now feeling even more tired than when she first arrived.

“Okay, you’re not hiding away like this,” Sam said as she took a seat on the coffee table in front of Lena. “What's wrong?”

Lena groaned loudly but didn’t respond right away. She wasn't sure why Andrea was taking her jolly time getting dressed, but she assumed the girl was leaving soon, so she didn't mind starting the conversation in her presence. “I was—well I—”

“Take it slow,” Sam reassured her friend. “Start with a deep breath and then tell me the story from the beginning.”

Lena slowly scrubbed her hands down her face, now meeting Sam’s concerned look. She nodded and followed through on Sam's advice, closing her eyes and only breathing in through her nose. Lena held her breath for a few seconds before exhaling slowly and repeating the action over and over until her nerves finally cooled down enough for her to talk.

“Yesterday,” she started, still wavering a bit but continuing nonetheless, “I did my taxes with Andrea. Everything was going fine until...” She stopped talking as she felt a droplet trickling its way down the side of her face. Using the back of her hand, she quickly wiped away the one streak that managed to escape from her tear ducts. It was the one shred of proof that this was breaking her heart more than she’d like to admit.

“It’s okay,” Sam reassured, being as understanding as usual.

Lena nodded and ran her fingers against her face, ensuring she removed any evidence of her tear-stricken emotions. She didn’t even feel her eyes well up with tears, but considering that these thoughts had been nagging her for hours, she wasn’t exactly surprised either.

“Everything was going fine until Andrea told me something that I couldn’t shake,” Lena continued.

“So, this is your fault?” Sam asked, her inquisitive eye turning to Andrea. 

“Wait,” Andrea said, lifting her arms up defensively. “That’s what you’re upset about? Carajo _._ ”

“What did you tell her?” Sam asked, feeling the anger rise up inside her chest just with the mere idea that Andrea was responsible for Lena’s recent tears. 

Andrea gaped at Lena, ignoring Sam’s question. “This is so stupid. I can’t believe you’re so upset about this.”

“I don’t know what to think,” Lena said, now shaking her head as she relived the last 24 hours over and over in her mind. 

“Can someone _please_ explain what I’m missing here?” Sam asked.

“Lena is overreacting about something that isn’t even my fault.” 

“I’m not overreacting. It’s just not as simple as you think,” Lena said. She tightened her fists together, her knuckles whitening before she released her hold as if she was holding onto a stress ball. “You think you know someone and then you find out something about them and it just changes.... _everything_.”

Sam leaned away from Lena and turned to look at Andrea, defeat evident with the way her shoulders slugged backwards. “Why did I ever think she would give me a straight answer?”

“You know her better than I do,” Andrea said. “You should’ve expected this behaviour by now.” 

“You two are so annoying,” Lena said. She let out another deep breath before working up the courage to finally say the words that were eating away at her mind. “Andrea told me that Kara doesn’t pay her taxes.”

She let that thought simmer in the air as silence fell upon the room. Andrea looked as unimpressed as she did yesterday, but unlike her, the words did seem to have an effect on Sam who now had her head twisted to the side, looking deep in thought. 

“I know,” Lena added. “It’s shocking, right?”

“Honestly?” Sam started to say, prolonging her thought long enough to continue tilting her head from side to side until it eventually turned into a shake. “Not really.” 

“It’s not?”

“No, that doesn’t surprise me at all,” Sam continued. She put her finger on her chin as she thought about it some more. “I bet you Alex doesn’t either. I’ve always gotten a weird vibe from the Danvers sisters.” 

“Who?” Andrea cut in.

“Kara’s sister,” Sam clarified. 

“Is that the one who’s dating my employee?”

“Kelly? Yes, learn her name too.”

“Bossy much,” Andrea mumbled.

Sam simply raised her eyebrow in response, which was enough to get Andrea to quiet down. That silence gave Sam the opportunity to continue with the real conversation at hand. 

“Does Andrea have proof or was that a baseless claim?” she asked.

“Her proof was everything that Kara said,” Lena explained. She sunk a little lower in her seat, now wishing she had some brownies to stuff in her face. “I know that’s not exactly proof, but it was pretty compelling.” 

“Are you sure you’re not overreacting?” 

“Sam, she asked me where I was sending my tax papers.” 

“Er—Okay, but she could’ve been asking that because there are so many places to mail them to,” Sam tried to reason. She was always giving people the benefit of the doubt, and even if she suspected that the Danvers sisters were implicated in tax fraud, she would still try to defend them. “Well, that is, if you mail them and don’t file online,” she added. 

“That’s what I thought, but with everything else she said, I think she was really asking who these documents were for,” Lena explained. She waved her hand in the air, dismissing her argument. “It doesn’t matter. I needed to talk to her about it and find out the truth, so I went to go see Kara this morning.”

“Wait, you did?” Andrea cut in, now feeling invested in Lena’s story. “What did she say?”

“I didn’t actually get a chance to ask her,” Lena continued to explain, cowering further into her seat just as she had this morning. “I mean, what was I going to say? I couldn’t outright ask her.” 

“Honey, do you pay your taxes?” Sam supplemented. 

“That sounds accusatory.”

“But she isn’t paying them so you _should_ be accusing her,” Andrea said. 

“I don’t want to ruin everything we have and if I asked her then it would all fall apart,” Lena said. She rubbed her fingers against the side of her temples, not knowing how to explain this in a way that would make her friends understand. “I know if it looks like a duck, swims like a duck and quacks like a duck, then it’s probably a duck, but I just wanted her to prove me wrong...without directly asking her.”

“What do ducks have to do wi—”

“It’s an expression,” Sam cut Andrea off before turning back to Lena and scooting a little closer in her seat. “What are you trying to say?”

“Deep down, I know that it’s true but at the same time I wanted a bit more evidence before asking her and well...”

“Well?” Andrea and Sam both repeated. 

“You guys won’t like the next part,” Lena said. She scratched at the back of her neck, hoping she could delay the truth. “Well, Andrea might actually like it.”

“What did you do?” Sam asked, her concern now feeling miles away as a stern look covered her face.

Lena eye’s zoomed back and forth between both girls. There really was no escaping her actions.

“I looked through Kara’s phone,” she mumbled.

“You _what_?”

“Good for you,” Andrea said. “Didn’t think you had the guts to do something like that.”

“Me neither,” Lena said before scrunching up her face, annoyed with herself. She didn’t even have to look at Sam to feel the disappointment coming from her direction. “Sam, please don’t look at me like that. I know you don’t approve, but I had to find something to clear her name.”

Sam put her hand up to her forehead, pressing against her skin as if she was feeling for an incoming headache.

“Did it?” 

“Clear her name?” Lena asked before continuing. “No, if anything, it was even more incriminating.”

“Where did you even look?” Andrea asked.

“Her search history and I…” Lena said, slowly trailing off. She knew she had to continue the sentence, but even she felt bad about the following words. She cleared her throat and added, “I took screenshots and sent them to myself.”

“No, no,” Sam repeated, standing from her seat and waving her arms in the air. “I don’t need to know this. This is a line I’m not crossing.”

“Suit yourself,” Andrea said before turning to Lena. “Show me the screenshots.” 

Sam groaned loudly as she covered her eyes with her hands and turned away from the duo. “I’m parched. I’m going to get a glass of water. Do any of you want one?” she asked, though she didn’t even wait for an answer as she stormed off to her kitchen, feeling disappointed in both girls.

“Okay, hurry up and show me before she gets back,” Andrea quickly said. 

“I feel like I’m really on the wrong side here if I’m doing something with you instead of Sam,” Lena said. Despite her hesitation, she still pulled out her phone, showing Andrea the google searches that Kara had looked up in the last few hours.

“ _What are taxes? Who needs to pay taxes?”_ Andrea recited as she read the searches out loud. “She can’t be serious.”

“Keep reading them.”

“ _Should I be paying taxes? What if I don’t pay my taxes? Potstickers.”_ Andrea paused her reading to look over at Lena.

“She got hungry, okay? Keep going”

“ _Food near me. Where is the speed walking option on Google I’m gay and I walk faster than the normal walking option. Can you go to prison if you don’t pay taxes?”_ Andrea stopped reading and handed the phone back to Lena. “Alright, I get it. She knows nothing about taxes, and she’s gay.” 

“Well, I knew the last part.” 

“Why do you guys talk so loud,” Sam said, now returning to the living room with a glass of water in hand. “I left so I wouldn’t be part of this, but I still heard everything from way over there.”

“Then you can agree with me. Kara doesn’t pay her taxes and our relationship is ruined,” Lena said. 

Sam sat down on the coffee table once more, letting out a soft sigh, realizing there was no way she could get out of this conversation. 

“The poor girl doesn’t know anything about taxes and it sounds like she’s trying to educate herself. I don’t think you can blame her for not paying if she didn’t even know they were a thing,” Sam said. She took a sip from her glass and then added, “And I definitely don’t think this is grounds for you to break up with her.”

“For someone who always does her own taxes, I’m surprised you feel that way.”

“I may do my own taxes, but it doesn’t mean I’m going to automatically hate someone who doesn’t do theirs,” Sam said. She lifted up her thumb, pointing it to Andrea. “Exhibit A.”

“Oh, you don’t hate me?” Andrea said, a slight frown forming on her lips. “Well, that does take a bit of the allure away.”

Lena pinched her nose in annoyance. "Andrea, why are you still here?" she asked before Sam had a chance to continue their banter.

“That is no way to talk to someone who has been listening to you complain about taxes for the last two days,” Andrea said. “Besides, you're the one who brought me up as the reason for your shitty mood. I have to defend my name here."

"Whatever," Lena said, shaking her head and now standing from her seat. "I don't even feel good about sitting on this sofa knowing you two were just making out here."

"We weren't _just_ making out," Andrea added.

“For fucks sake, I don't need to know this. Look, if she's not leaving, then I am,” Lena said, now walking further away from the sofa. She was almost at the front door when a thought occurred, stopping her in her tracks. “If you two were...doing _that_...then where is Ruby?” 

“She’s at a friend’s house," Sam answered.

“And what did you tell her you were doing?”

“An extracurricular activity,” Sam said with a smirk.

“Mhm, okay. I am _definitely_ leaving,” Lena said, walking straight out the door, not even daring to look back at the scene behind her. 

Realistically, there was nothing more she needed to say to them. She only came there to vent and she got exactly what she needed, minus the usual brownies. With those words out in the open and off her chest, Lena was feeling less agitated about the entire situation. She could finally think clearly and she knew exactly what she had to do.

Come tomorrow, she would finally confront Kara about not paying her taxes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was sponsored by rojarias.  
> 


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lena confronts Kara.

_“Our girl of steel has done it once again, stopping another robbery! National City’s best reporters are live at the scene and will be speaking with witnesses th—”_

Lena pressed the corner button on the remote, shutting the TV off once she got the confirmation that Supergirl saved the day. She would normally feel relieved after watching coverage of Supergirl’s latest victory, but once the TV was off, and silence engulfed the room around her, Lena found herself feeling more anxious than ever before. 

She threw the remote against her sofa, letting it bounce off the leather seats, barely giving it any attention as the remote tumbled to the ground, batteries jumping out of their sockets and rolling under her coffee table. 

Lena should’ve felt proud that her girlfriend stopped the robbery. She should’ve been ecstatic that Supergirl caught him in a matter of seconds. She should’ve lost that constricted feeling in the middle of her chest that made her feel like her entire world was about to come crashing down. 

There were so many emotions that Lena _should’ve_ felt, but the only one she _did_ feel was dread.

Even though Lena told herself it was time to have a conversation with Kara, she still tried her best to delay it as much as possible. She might’ve even selfishly hoped that Supergirl took a bit longer in stopping the robbery, if only to give her a few more minutes of living in denial.

Any second now, Kara would be back and their problems would finally be out in the open.

Letting out a heavy sigh, Lena lowered her body to the ground as she decided on fetching the scattered batteries that fell moments ago. Her fingers skidded across the polished floor as she felt for the two cylinders under her coffee table. When she finally got her fingers on one, Lena spun the battery around, hoping it would turn in her direction, yet her actions only pushed it even further away. She groaned loudly and watched as the battery rolled away, only coming to a stop once it hit something red and shiny. 

“What is th—” Lena started to say as she lifted herself off the floor. “Oh _,”_ she finished her thought, realizing the red shiny object was actually a boot that belonged to the caped hero. “I didn’t hear you come in.”

“Sorry, I came by the balcony,” Kara mumbled as she pointed behind her. “You said it was okay if I did that when I was dressed up.”

“It is okay,” Lena said with a small smile.

Kara nodded but looked away, focusing her attention on the battery at her feet. She leaned over, crouching so she could pick it up.

“You drop this?” Kara asked.

“Technically. I dropped the remote.”

“Yeah, I can see that.” Kara’s eyes flashed to the half-opened remote on the floor. “Where’s the other battery?”

“Somewhere under the table,” Lena mumbled, not entirely focused on the battery situation anymore. She was now paying more attention to Kara’s gestures, noting how the girl mirrored her uneasy demeanor. 

Kara usually stood tall and proud, but right now her shoulders were slugged forward and her hands were nervously toying with the battery she held. If that wasn’t telling enough, Kara’s true emotions were inevitably exposed as a small crinkle formed across the bridge of her nose. 

“You’re nervous too,” Lena realized quietly.

“Wha—I’m not—Why would I be nervous?” Kara asked. She gently placed the battery atop the coffee table as a way of focusing her attention away from Lena.

“ _Kara_.”

It was all she needed to say for both of them to realize the turn this conversation was about to take. With one simple word, Lena put all her emotions on the line. It was her way of telling Kara that she knew and she didn’t want to continue with this ruse. She didn’t have to beg for Kara to say the truth. The intonation in her voice was enough to make Kara realize that this was weighing on Lena and it was a conversation they both needed to have.

“I can explain,” Kara tried feebly. 

Lena let out a dry laugh. “So then it is true?”

“Lena, I—”

“It’s a yes or a no, Kara,” Lena said. 

She could feel a stinging sensation starting at the corner of her eyes, but she wasn’t about to let her emotions win. Biting her lower lip was the best solution she could think of as she tried to calm herself down. She had to be strong in asking this question and she had to be even stronger in hearing the answer. 

“Do you pay your taxes?”

Kara’s shoulders sunk even lower as she let out a sigh. She knew there was no point in hiding it anymore.

“No,” she muttered. “I don’t pay my taxes.”

Behind those cool blue eyes, Lena saw the wobbling fear and guilt that was eating away at Kara. The admission alleviated some of that guilt, but that fear only doubled. Still, despite her apprehension, Kara took her chances and stepped closer to Lena as she tried to bridge the gap between them. 

Lena wasn’t sure how she was supposed to respond since she already knew the truth. She couldn’t feel anger, and she couldn’t feel sorrow as she had already gone through those emotions over the course of the last two days. 

Still, her heart rate quickened with each step Kara took. Her nerves remained, keeping her feet glued to the ground as Kara neared her, cupping her hands around Lena’s face. 

“Don’t cry,” Kara whispered. She wiped away at some of the tears that were trickling down Lena’s face — tears that Lena didn’t even realize had escaped. “Please.” Kara leaned her forehead gently against Lena’s.

Despite her inner turmoil, Lena appreciated the gesture. She let the moment wash over her, fluttering her eyes shut, hoping time could stop and they could stay in that moment where there were no repercussions for Kara’s actions.

But the spell was broken once Kara opened up her mouth once more and whispered, “It’s okay.” 

The words were meant to be reassuring, but they only reminded Lena about the gravity of the situation. She couldn’t simply overlook everything that happened. Kara not paying her taxes went against everything she believed in and she couldn’t let their moment of solace last. 

Time wasn’t frozen, and neither was Lena as she pulled away, lifting her hands to cover up her face. 

“It’s not okay,” she mumbled through her fingers. “It’s not. It’s—” Lena lowered her hands and looked Kara straight in the eye. “Kara, you’re a criminal.” 

“I wouldn’t go that far.” 

“This isn’t a joke,” Lena exclaimed, throwing her hands to the side.

“I don’t think it’s a joke,” Kara said, now maintaining some distance as Lena’s true annoyance presented itself. “I just don’t think it’s as big of a deal as you’re making it out to be.”

“Kara,” Lena started, now steadying herself enough to say the words she knew to be 100% true. “You don’t pay your taxes. That _is_ a big deal.”

“But I read online that a lot of people don’t pay their taxes.” 

“Yeah and then they go to prison for tax evasion,” Lena explained. 

“Oh. Right, I did see that.”

Lena let out a heavy sigh as she ran her fingers through her hair. She wasn’t sure how to continue their talk when Kara didn’t even understand the importance of paying her taxes.

In fact, Lena was starting to suspect that Kara didn’t feel guilty about her actions at all. At least, not about evading her taxes. If anything, she only felt guilty about being caught and about the entire situation upsetting Lena. 

“Kara, do you even know what taxes go towards?” 

“Umm—I think online it said that it goes to the government.” 

“Yes, but it gets redistributed,” Lena explained. “They raise money so that they can fund public services.” Lena paused for a moment as she let out a soft laugh. “If I’m being honest, you more than anyone should be paying your taxes.”

“What does that mean?” Kara asked, defensively crossing her arms over chest. 

“Taxes are used to fix infrastructure. Roads, buildings, basically everything you break when you get into a fist fight.” 

Kara rolled her eyes. “Hey, it’s not my fault they always pick a fight downtown.”

“Can’t you fly them away somewhere else?” Lena asked.

“Besides the point.” 

“You’re right,” Lena said, realizing they were getting off-topic again. “The point is you should be paying your taxes.”

“I know that now,” Kara said as she let out a sigh before taking a seat on the edge of the sofa. She looked defeated, but she still had some fight left in her to properly defend herself. “And I know this is really upsetting to you, but the truth is I didn’t know taxes were a thing,” Kara explained. “I’m sorry I never paid them, but it’s really because nobody ever told me I _had_ to pay taxes.” 

Lena did feel a little sympathy for her girlfriend and she was happy to know that Kara wasn’t intentionally evading tax payments, but that’s all the admission changed. 

“That’s your excuse?” Lena asked as she followed Kara and took a seat next to her on the sofa. “I hate to say it, but ignorance of the law isn’t an excuse, and it doesn’t hold up in court.” 

Kara sank lower in her seat, knowing that Lena’s words rang true. Still, Kara didn’t think the system itself was built fairly.

“If no one teaches me taxes, how am I expected to learn it? Isn’t it super complicated?” Kara asked. 

“Some of it is,” Lena reasoned, twisting her lips to the side. “But even if it’s complicated, it’s your duty to know the laws and abide by them.” Lena looked down at her hands, toying with her fingers as she tried to delay the next admission. “And even if that excuse was admissible, it wouldn’t work for me.” 

“What do you mean?” Kara asked. 

Lena lifted her chin, meeting Kara’s inquisitive look with her own wobbly eyes. She had come to the conclusion yesterday, but it still scared her to say the words that were stuck on her mind.

“I can’t—” She paused, biting her lip and nodding as if she were encouraging herself to continue her thought. “I can’t be with someone who doesn’t pay their taxes,” she huffed out in one breath. 

Kara’s reaction was immediate as her eyes widened and her mouth dropped open. 

“I— Lena, that’s ridiculous. I didn’t know! If I can go back in time and pay them, then I would. At the very least, I’ll start paying them from now on.”

“That isn’t enough,” Lena interrupted. “The problem is you neglected to pay them for so many years.”

Kara shook her head repeatedly as she tried to understand Lena’s point of view. “But I don’t get it, Lena. You’re treating me like I’m some sort of criminal when it was an honest mistake. We can move past this.” 

“I don’t know if we can.”

“That’s another thing. You sound like you already made up your mind, but I only admitted it a few minutes ago,” Kara realized. She turned a curious eye towards Lena, “So, how did you even know I wasn’t paying them?”

“Wha—That’s not the problem here.” 

“I tried to be subtle. It wasn’t easy, but I tried and you didn’t suspect a thing so I thought it worked,” Kara said. 

“Well,” Lena started before letting out a slight laugh. Kara was right about her being oblivious and she could still hardly believe she was fooled in the first place. “It did work,” Lena admitted. “But then Andrea told me you were acting suspicious about taxes and then I checked your phone and I—” 

“I’m sorry?” 

“I—I checked my phone,” Lena rephrased her sentence, realizing she might’ve said a little too much. 

“No,” Kara said now standing to her feet and shaking her head. “No, you said you checked _your_ phone as in... _my_ phone.” 

“I—Okay, yeah. I did,” Lena admitted. 

She hadn’t expected the conversation to take this turn, but in a matter of seconds Lena felt Kara’s apologetic demeanor change, starting with a furrow of her eyebrows.

“So privacy law means nothing to you as long as it confirms that I’m breaking tax law?” Kara asked. 

“It’s not like that,” Lena said. “I was just confirming my suspicions.” 

“No, it sounds like you were invading my privacy,” Kara said. Her hands were balled up and set firmly against her hips. “Why do you think _that_ was okay?"

“It wasn’t okay but I—”

“I don’t think the ‘but’ would matter in court.”

Lena scoffed aloud, annoyed that Kara would try to use her own logic against her. “It would never go to court because it’s not a crime to look at someone’s phone.” 

“Right, because _I’m_ the criminal here,” Kara said, now crossing her arms over her chest. 

Lena couldn’t believe how much Kara was taking offense at a blatant fact. “I don’t know how else to put it. What you did was a crime, so yes you’re acting like a criminal.”

“You know what, I can’t do this right now.” 

Kara moved to turn her body around, but didn’t get far as Lena’s arm shot out with her fingers latching onto Kara’s bicep in a gentle hold. 

“You’re not serious?” Lena asked. 

“I _am_ serious,” Kara said as she lightly removed Lena’s hand from her arm. “You could’ve asked me about the taxes, but instead you went behind my back, using my own phone to get information for yourself. And then when you got caught, you immediately tried to lie about it. And on top of all of that, instead of taking ownership for your actions, you would rather accuse me of being a criminal. How do you think that makes me feel?”

“Look, Kara, I just got nervous and I reacted on impulse. I’m sorry,” Lena apologized. 

“Maybe an apology isn’t enough for me,” Kara said. She was standing right next to Lena, but she was starting to feel as if she was miles away. With a quick frown, Kara continued her thought. “Maybe I can’t be with someone who doesn’t respect my privacy.”

“This is ridiculous,” Lena said, shaking her head at Kara’s words.

“And so is the tax thing,” Kara countered. “I apologized to you and that wasn’t enough. You just turned around and kept calling me a criminal. But when you do something wrong, an apology fixes everything, right?”

Lena shifted uneasily on her feet, realizing she was probably more at fault than she’d like to admit. Even though she could see the logic behind Kara’s words, she couldn’t just drop everything she believed in because Kara apologized. 

“I think paying taxes is incredibly important. It’s part of my moral code,” Lena said. She bit on the bottom of her lip, unsure of her next words. “I can’t just overlook this and forgive you right away.”

“So where does that leave us?” Kara asked.

Lena looked down at her hands as she tried to think of a solution. If she forgave Kara, then she would be going against everything she believed in. She might as well throw out the rest of her morals in the process. There was no point in having a moral code if she were selective about which rules to abide by. But on the other hand, if she didn’t forgive Kara, there was no way they could move past this. Lena couldn’t attach herself to someone who didn’t value the same things as her. If there was anyone in the world that would be a law-abiding citizen, she figured it would be Supergirl, but it seemed like even that wasn’t the case.

“Maybe…” Lena started, feeling her throat constrict as if her own body was telling her not to go through with this thought. But Lena knew there was no way to circumvent this issue. She knew what had to be done. Clearing her throat, Lena started up again. “Maybe there can’t be an us.”

The words didn’t seem to register in Kara’s mind as she stood staring at Lena like a deer in the headlights. She didn’t think Lena was being serious.

“Really? After everything we’ve been through? That’s it?”

Kara’s eyes scanned Lena’s face, looking for any indication that Lena might take back her words. She thought they had something worth fighting for, but as she looked deep in Lena’s eyes, Kara didn’t see any sign of the woman letting up. It looked like there was nothing more for Lena to add. She had already said everything she needed to say. 

Realizing there was nothing left for her to do, Kara started to slowly nod and turn away. She walked towards the balcony, reaching the white framed arches that were soon to be her exit. Placing her hand against the edge of the frame, she turned around to give one last look at her girlfriend.

“Goodbye Lena,” Kara said.

She didn’t wait for a response as she lifted her feet off the ground and flew away, leaving her former girlfriend staring ahead at nothing.

It was pretty fitting. Despite the anger, the hurt and the nerves that consumed Lena all day long, she was now left with a feeling of nothingness. This is what she wanted. This was the only solution she could think of. But standing there, all alone in her living room, felt just as bad as all those other feelings. 

It made Lena rethink her decision.

Maybe anger and hurt were better emotions than feeling nothing at all. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shoutout to lunchables on ao3 for always telling me whenever one of my jokes falls flat. Check out their fics if you want good content.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lena isolates herself post breakup. Some people aren't willing to let that isolation last.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let's pretend it didn't take me forever to update. Thanks x

It had been five days. Five days spent staring down test tubes and beakers as Lena mixed solutions together. Her heavy eyes were now subconsciously adjusting to the meniscus on each graduated cylinder whenever she crouched down to read the numbers. 15 ml this time; just a bit more than the previous sample.

Lena wasn’t sure what she was even doing here anymore. Her eyes were stinging, likely from the bright incandescent lights above her. It was, however, equally likely that the lights had no real effect on her, that the piercing sensation at the back of her eyelids came from the aftermath of her conversation with Kara, the mental strain of their break up manifesting itself in that prolonged physical pain.

Though it wasn’t the only restraint Lena recently felt.

For instance, whenever Lena fixated on their last dreadful conversation, it felt like there was a thick clot in her mind. That clot stalled the flow of every thought she had even as she began working on a new project, one that she belatedly realized would be entitled to tax credits for scientific research & experimental development.

Because _everything_ always linked back to taxes, which inevitably linked back to Kara, formerly her girlfriend, and currently, a known tax evader.

Starting a new project was Lena’s feeble attempt at filling whatever void she had in her chest, but even by being here and engulfing herself in her work, Lena still couldn’t escape her woes. For once in her life, her lab served her no purpose. It was no hideaway, nor could any solutions here help her solve the ongoing issue in her relationship. Lena knew all this to be true, but she still chose to lock herself away, hoping a solution would find its way to her.

And in a way, it did.

“ _We need to talk_ ,” a voice echoed around Lena. 

The source of the disturbance came from the intercom Lena had installed near the entrance to the lab. It was the only communication channel anyone could use when Lena decided on being a recluse. Normally Jess, her trusted secretary, was the only one who used this intercom. She’d come twice a day, the first time to signal her arrival and the second time, near the end of the day, to notify Lena of her departure. But Jess had already made her second visit over an hour ago, and the voice coming through the intercom was nowhere near her likeness, nor was it someone Lena would be willing to welcome into her isolation. 

“Implement lockdown protocol,” Lena said. 

In seconds, locks started clicking into place around the room. Steel bars immediately slated the entrance, along with the intercom, barring visitors from having any means of communicating with Lena. Additional security measures rose around the room, now shifting everything into a darker setting, one where the newly risen grey slates blocked out some of the bright lights shining from above, effectively creating small shadows at the extremities of the room. 

“ _Are you kidding me?_ " the voice called out, now muffled and barely audible through the extra barriers. 

Lena simply ignored it, trying her best to continue focusing on the volumetric flask in front of her. Luckily, she had enough light to read the measurements on the container. She continued working on the task at hand, carefully dripping liquid from the graduated cylinder into the flask, all the while tuning out the loud banging outside her door.

With her eyes steady on the liquid, Lena noted how bubbles began forming at the base, holding that reaction for a few seconds before completely dissolving in the solution. Truthfully, the effect wasn’t what Lena anticipated, but it only meant that she had to alter her formulas in hopes of getting the correct results.

She grabbed onto the flask, and stuck a label on it with the words “ _Attempt #26”_ scribbled across it. She intended on depositing it alongside the other failed attempts, but when Lena grabbed onto the flask and turned around, to her surprise, she was met with two figures suddenly creeping out of the shadows.

“What the fuck, Andrea?” Lena exclaimed as she looked between Andrea and Sam before jumping away, heels clacking backwards as she tried to regain her balance. Attempt #26 ended up finding its home on the concrete floor, surrounded by shattered pieces of glass, fortunately just missing Lena’s feet.

“You locked us out.” 

“So what?” Lena said, throwing her arms frantically in the air. “Since when does that give you permission to break in?”

“It was more like we shadow-teleported in.” Sam twirled her fingers together as she approached Lena and looked at the mess on the floor. “Did you get any of that stuff on you?”

Lena let out a broken sigh. “No, and you’re lucky it’s not the type that’ll melt the floor. But now it’s going to smell like rotten sulfur in here for the next few days.”

Andrea scrunched up her nose. “It _already_ smells bad in here. Have you taken a shower recently?”

“Excuse me?” 

Sam bit on the bottom of her lip nervously as she tried to take over the conversation. “Look, it’s been a few days and we were worried about you.”

“I’m fine.” 

Because she was fine, because there was nothing she could say or do to change the situation that unfolded between her and Kara. At least, not when Lena hadn’t changed her opinion on their argument. 

“What are you even trying to accomplish here?” Andrea asked, walking needlessly close to Lena’s workbench.

“I'm trying to advance in my work. Hard to do that when you're here though.”

Andrea lifted up a container filled with liquid, and began juggling it around. “Thought you’d be interested in a different type of flask after your break up.”

Lena pressed her hand against the side of her temple. She really needed to up her security system now that she knew Andrea could easily break in with even the tiniest shadow. “Did you really use your powers just to come here and lecture me on my coping mechanisms?”

“What else would I use my powers for?”

“Maybe helping people out instead of using them for selfish reasons.”

“Please, Lena,” Andrea said while shaking her head. She put the flask back down on the counter. “If you had my powers, I know you’d use them to sneak into the library after closing.” 

“That’s not w—Why are you two here?”

“We’re here because someone needs to knock some sense into you,” Sam said. She crossed her arms over her chest before continuing. “You need to go see Kara and apologize. This whole breakup is ridiculous.”

“She’s the one who left.”

“You didn’t really give her an option.”

“She knows what taxes mean to me,” Lena argued back. It was almost rehearsed at this point. She had said the excuses enough times in her own head when reasoning her actions with herself. “She’s always known. I’ve been very vocal about it.”

“She’s right,” Andrea said. “She doesn’t shut up about them.”

“Andrea, I’d be much more appreciative if I were you. I helped you get your taxes done ahead of time, _and_ I also gave you Sam’s number, which believe me, I am deeply regretting right now. All I got in return was you planting the seed that would ruin my relationship.”

“No,” Andrea said while shaking her head. “No, you are not blaming your little break up on me. This shit is on you. I thought it was funny that you were dating a tax evader, so I brought it up because you clearly didn’t know. But honestly nobody else gives a fuck about this thing except for you.”

“I take these things seriously. Rules are meant to be followed. They aren’t merely suggestions.” 

“That is _s_ _o_ bold coming from you,” Andrea argued. 

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“Look at how you’re dressed at this very moment! Are we just going to ignore your fucking outfit? Open-toed heels, no safety goggles, and that jacket that _barely_ looks like a lab coat. You just almost dropped that solution on your feet.” 

Lena’s mouth dropped open as the accusations flew in her direction. She turned to Sam for help, but ultimately found her best friend raising her eyebrow, expectantly waiting for an explanation.

“This is different,” Lena tried uselessly, the excuse already pathetic on her own lips. “I only dropped the flask because you came out of nowhere.” 

“You’re awfully selective about the rules you follow.” Andrea shrugged before letting her eyes bore into Lena’s. “Sounds to me like your moral code is already compromised.”

Andrea’s tone was so matter-of-fact that Lena couldn’t find it in her to argue back. The way that Andrea laid out Lena’s hypocrisy felt like she had dunked Lena into a pool of ice cold water, chilling every inch of Lena’s body, yet waking her up in the process.

“Fuck,” Lena muttered. 

“There it is,” Andrea said.

Lena now looked over at Sam, noting the sympathetic smile across her face. Normally, Sam was Lena’s voice of reason and her usual savior, but for once, she was speechless. Instead, she let Andrea steer the ship, giving Lena that cold wake up call, since there was more gravity to Andrea’s words than anything Sam could say.

Out of everyone she knew, Andrea was the least likely to have a moral code. She always did as she pleased, saying what she wanted, unbothered by the reactions of others. So if Andrea was telling Lena off about her decision, then she had to really mean it, and Lena had to be completely in the wrong. 

“I overreacted, didn’t I?” 

“A little bit,” Sam said carefully.

“Why do I always do this?” Lena said, sinking her face into her hands. “Things were going great with Kara and then I blew up at her.” She couldn’t get a clear look at her friends, but she could still hear them whispering heatedly to each other about whose “turn” it was to presumably comfort her. It only made her groan and complain even more. “Over taxes,” Lena continued. “I got mad at her about taxes? Who does that?” 

“Apparently, you do,” Andrea said.

A thump followed her words, probably from Sam lightly slapping Andrea on the arm.

“All you have to do is talk to her,” Sam reassured. She draped her arm around Lena’s shoulder, tugging her into a side hug.

“What if she doesn’t want to see me?” Lena asked, lowering her hands and turning to look at Sam.

“Considering that she’s been calling me for the last 3 days, I’d say that’s not true.” 

“She has?”

“Yeah, I didn’t get her first few calls but she left me a couple voicemails,” Sam explained. She fished her phone out of her back pocket and tapped the screen a few times. “This one was my favorite.”

“ _Hey! It’s Kara! Catco reporter by day and criminal tax evader by night… that was a joke. I don’t actually— anyway I was wondering if you’ve spoken to Lena recently? I came by L-Corp and Jess said she was busy...and I—I haven’t been able to reach her and well… I—I miss her...so I was just wondering if you could let me know that she’s okay? Okay. It’s Kara by the way.”_

When the static faded, and the line cut, all that remained was a stupid smile across Lena’s face.

“She misses me?” she repeated, latching onto the small amount of hope that coursed through her veins with just those three words. 

“She does,” Sam confirmed. “She was still a little mad about the whole argument, but she told me that she wanted to clear things up with you.”

“Hence, why we’re here,” Andrea added. “I can never get a hold of Sam because her line is always busy with Kara calling her for an update. So, you need to get your ass out of this lab and talk to Kara so that everything could go back to normal.” 

Lena rolled her eyes. “There’s always an ulterior motive with you.” 

“I don’t deny it,” Andrea said with a smirk. 

“Yeah, yeah,” Lena chuckled and took a peek at Sam, noting the way her eyes shined whenever Andrea spoke. It was probably the same stupid look Lena had whenever she was with Kara. She let out a sigh, steadying herself for her next move. “Okay, I could talk it over with Kara, but what am I supposed to say? I feel like I really hurt her feelings when I called her a criminal.” 

“Just be honest and tell her how you feel about everything,” Sam said. She squeezed Lena on the shoulder before adding, “It’ll be okay.” 

Lena nodded and repeated those words over and over again in her head. If she believed them, then maybe they might actually come true. 

“Great, now that we’re all settled with that, can you tell me what that stupid noise is?” Andrea asked. 

“What noise?” 

“That feedback sound,” Andrea answered. She pointed to the entrance door. “It’s been going on for the last few minutes and it’s annoying me.”

“Everything annoys you,” Sam chimed in.

“Wait, I think I hear it too,” Lena said. She squinted her eyes together as if that would help in her hearing. “Did you guys break my intercom?”

“No, of course not!”

“You _were_ pushing a lot of buttons,” Andrea said while lifting both hands up in innocence. 

“Says the one who’s always pushing _my_ buttons.” 

Lena tuned the two girls out as they continued bickering with one another. Grabbing her tablet, Lena focused her efforts on undoing the lockdown protocol she implemented. 

It took seconds for the manual override to kick in and remove the heavy security measures. All around them, steel bars retreated, bringing the lab back to its former open space.

“Can one of you check the intercom?” Lena asked, setting aside the tablet.

“Yeah, I got it,” Andrea mumbled as she walked off in the direction of the entrance. 

She nearly made it to the door when the static from the intercom sounded again, followed by another, lighter voice: _“—anyone there? Lena? Helloooo?”_

They say that sound can’t travel through a vacuum, but in that recently hollow place, the one that should be holding Lena’s heart, that light-hearted sound cut its way deep, travelling through the cavernous void, suddenly filling it up with that one resolute feeling of hope.

Because standing on the other side of that door was none other than Kara Danvers. 

**Author's Note:**

> @luthorsrojas on twitter hmu


End file.
